The National tribune., 1887-06-23
FIGHTING THEM OVER
What Our Veterans Have 10 Say About
Their Old Campaigns
EARLY WAR TIMES.
How the 5u Mass. Made It's Way TO the Front.

sketch concerning the ON MASS. sllaiA ho' "a.
tempt 10 write history OF the regiment, but
ouy very briefly mention few incidents oi
the " three months service" An order was Is
sued by GOV. Banks 10 have the State mill IA
call the roll aud 10 drop the names oi lhose
who would not pledge themselves 10 90 II called
out. j think this r0l-cli WAS ln February
1851 some time before President Lincoln took
his seat The old J.h was then composed OF
the Charlestown City Guards, OharltstoWn Ar
tilery-driliing as infantry. Somerville Light
Infantry, Lawrence Ligut Guards, of Mediord'
aud MOburn PhalauX. of Nohurn. Ihe legl-
ment was commanded by Col. Samuel Z. Law
renee. We had been drilling both by company
and by regiment all Winter IN preparation Tor
any emergency, and were ready at moment 5
notice
Fort Sumter felI and the Presidents call was
made. think every regiment in Massachu-
sets responded, but the 9th aud oth were ac-
cepted FIRST and sent on. though we were under
orders Finally orders came TO report at Fan
euil Hall, Boston, and we were there joined by
a new company raised by Capt Nardwell IN
Boston, aud also enough of the 9TH regiment
10 make our regiment lull. The first night We
spent in the hall j must confess we lacked
somewhat of the quietness aud stiffness that
have seen among troops in the face OF the enc
my. Every particular man seemed 10 make II
his business 10 keep every other from
GETTING WINK OF SLEEP.
We had not heard the Regulations" read
on "Tapsh Ii was here that the first casualty
occurred i'm the regiment. The next morning
ono Of the men stepping out OF the window
upon the projection, lost his balance and fell
TO the sidewalk below. lie was not dead when
they picked him up. aud never knew his fate,
but it does not seem possible he could have
lived after falling from such hight 10 the
pavement. We received supplies OF hot boiled
beef aud bread, in new rubber haversaclIs, aud
after another night of sleeplessness at very
early dawn embarked for New York city.
About this time the telegraph announced
that an assault had been made upon the 9th
Mass in Baltimore and a wave Of wrath swept
over u.s. Every loyal heart leaped with the
desire TO wine out that blot, by sweeping
through that hot-bed OF rebellion from end 10
end. Amid the cheers and tears of loved ones
who watched our embarkation, we started that
early morn Tor the seat of war The train only
stopped for wood and water, but at each halt
the citizens came through the cars with every
thing that could tempt the appetite Of man,
that had been prepared in advance and awaited
the coming train. By this time our hot meat
had spoiled, and smelled as though il had seen
more service than we had, and was being
dumped along the route. One soldier took a
piece of very fat beef, ran ahead Of the stand
ing train, and
CREASED THE TRACK
for rod or two, and the rails had TO be strewn
with sand before the train could start. This
caused guards to be placed at every door, and
no more soldiers were allowed TO leave the cars.
Arriving at New York we expected TO 20 di-
rectly to Baltimore, but instead we were packed
on board an old tub Of transport, together
with the Boston Light Artillery, horses, guns
and ammunition. That sea trip of Hatteras
will be long remembered by its survivors.
Sinking between the waves, seemingly 10 the
l,osF Il oft like the
Red Sea Of old. appeared ready TO engulf us by
one sweep; then we rose TO the very mountain
peak ready TO pitch headlOng below again. A
scller crowd j never saw. Even the horses
suffered, and some of them died.
But as all troubles have an end, so this ended
when we reached more placid water; but only
60 bring another. The troops were out of ra-
tions, as the spoiled meat had been thrown
away, and there was no very careful economic
ing OF the food bestowed 10y the citizens on the
route. But now on a transport away at sea,
stomachs disgoTged of the sweet cake and pies
distributed by the enthusiastic citizens, the
men were hungrier than prairie wolves, and
not a hardtack on the boat. We simply vol
untecred to 90 without because we had TO do
30. We touched at Fort Monroe for orders
without landing We saw the sth Mass. boys
on the embankment, and later landed at An.
napolis as hungry set as
EVER ENTERED THE TOWN.
We got one good square meal there, and were
ordered forward TO Washington with all dis
patch by Gen. B. i. Butler As there were moi
cars enough, Col. Lawrence embarked with the
right wing aud ordered the left wing to march
mp the railroad until the cars he went on re-
turned TO meet ms, while he should push on Il
Washington. The left wing under Lieut. Col
Green, marched on until darkness enveloped
all things. FoOtsore, tired and sleepy, the boy,
began 10 question the policy Of marching wheT
the train was coming back for them. BY some
ones order suggestion or example, know not
which, my company, which was the color com
pany, and now had the right in line OF march
went out Into the timber, planted the standard
in the ground, and halted around it. Some o.
the boys built huge Ere OF brush but just al
we were thinking of lying down an officer
Capt. Mardwel, j tbink--came up and said:
Forward those colors and don't halt then
again till ordered"
Serg't Lawrence snatched up the colors and
started on, myself on one side of him and an
other comrade on the other. At first most O
the company moved on, but before we had gone
many rods We three were the only moving oh
iects j could see. But on we Went, the Color
Sergeant swearing he never would stop til
ordered, and the other cOmrade and myself de
caring our intention 10 never leave the flag
When day began 10 dawn we discovered tw,
men ahead Oi us, aud Oh overtakiuE them found
them TO be Lieut.-Col Green and the Captain
ef the Charlestown Artillery. Col. Green said
Where are you going with those colorsy"
Sergt Lawrence replied, To Washington
was ordered 10 move these cOlOrs forward ant
not halt ill ordered, and
An GOING TO DO ITi"
We five men went on together, and when w
got within two OF three miles Of the junction
we found the train we were expecting ptchot
down aH emhamkmcnt, the spikes having beel
drawn and rails lOOsened. One New York Colo
ne was returning on the empty train for hi
regiment, and WAS badly injured. lie sool
afterWard died in Washington. When we 70
10 the junction Col. Green ordered. "Hal
those colors y and they halted. We plantet
the staff IN the ground aud lay down by then
until the left wing came up, about noon.
IL was nearly night before we got transporta
sion TO Washington. Col. Lawrence in Tia
meantime had found the track torn up, and ha
10 march the night wing from the junction Z
Washington. A rumOr reached Us that lac wa
lighting but II proved false. lie had escaped
fight by strategy, as armed men were see
lowering near the line of march.
On our arrival az Washington we were quar-
tered IN the Treasury Building, using the MAJ
bic floor for feather beds, in which we stoppe
until the death Of Col. Ellsworth, when N
crossed the river aud patroled Alexandria :
provost guard, under that old veteran Col
aftorward Genoai-H Heintzelman, until "a
Joined the army again in the Bull Run can
paign.-P. g. mills, Co. Il, 9th Mass. an
lieutenant, Co. B, 33d Mass, Lawrence Kan.
The depressing effects Of warm weather an